Coin display means for vending machines



' B. L. FRY

com DISPLAY MEANS FOR VENDING Mommas Jan. 5, 1932;

Filed Aug. 13, 1930 Patented Jan. 5,

UNITED STATE PATENT OFFICE lpplieationfled August 1:, mo. Serial No. 475,041.

The present invention has for its object the provision of ver simple and compact means whereby the insertion of a slug or spurious device in a coin-controlled machine may be detected, the spurious device bemg exposed to view so that there can be no dispute as to its presence. The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and will be hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a portion of the cabinet of a coin-controlled vending machine having my invention applied thereto,

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the face plate removed, and

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

A portion of the cabinet of a vending machine is indicated at 1 and a portion of the coin chute is indicated at 2. The devices constituting the present. invention are disposed below the operating mechanism of the vending machine and it is to be understood that the coin chute is equipped with mechanism whereby the proper coins and all slugs or other spurious devices will be separated as they move past the operating mechanism, the coins being caused to followa path which will result in operation of the machine and effect a sale while the spurious devices will be diverted to a side path but eventually returned to the same exlt as the coins. In carryin out the present inventlon, an opening is ormed in the wall or door of the ca inet and a plate of glass or other transparent material 20 is inserted in said opening. n the outer side of the cabinet or the door, a face plate 3 is secured over the opening and this face plate has a slot or sight opening 4 therein which is of arcuate formation whereby it will expose a portion of a star wheel 5. Said star wheel 5 is mounted on the back of the door or casing wall within a housing 6 which may be a single casting or shallow plate having a recess 7 formed therein to accommodate the star wheel and the deposited slugs and coins. The casing or plate 6 is provided with an arcuate rib 8 defining one side of'the recess 7 disposed concentric with the star wheel 5 and at such a distance posited coins and slugs and ide themin their passage to the coin box, it being noted that the teeth or points 9 of the star wheel are spaced apart a distance approximating the diameters of the coins intended to operate the machine'and said coins and slugs, indicated at 10, being caused to follow a I path corresponding to the arcuate portion 0 the slot 4, as will be understood upon reference to Fig. 1. It is, therefore, evident that the coins and other devices'will be exposed to view during their assage to thecoin box and the owner of t 'e machine will be furfrom said wheel as to accommodate the deof the devices to the coin box be retarded so that there will always be an opportunity to observe what devices are passin to the coin box and in the embodiment of the invention illustrated there will be four coins or other devices exposed at all times or at least the first coin deposited will not be discharged until at least four deposits have been made. To efi'ect the desired retardation and permit the device to operate with a, step by step motion, a detent 11 is pivoted within the casing 6 above the star wheel and at one side of themouth or entrance 12. This detent has a short arm 13 projecting into the path of the entering coin, as shown by the full lines in Fig.

star Wheel and has its terminal 15 ent inwardly so that it is adapted to enter the successive pockets of the star wheel and abut the teeth or points of the same so as'to arrest the movement thereof. When a coin passes through the mouth 12 of the casing 6, however, it will impinge uponthe shorter arm 13 and rock the same so that the longer arm 14 will be swung out of engagement with the star wheel, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2. This rocking of the detent will also permit the coin to clear the same and enter the pocket defined by the points or teeth 9 2, and a long arm 14 which extends ast the r which ha pen to be below the coin and the weight 0 the coin will e'fiect the rotation of the wheel, it being noted that the mouth 12 is disposed at one side of the vertical lane a of the axis of the wheel so that the weig t of the coin will be imposed eccentrically upon the wheel. The casing or plate 6 is formed with an opening 16 therethrough so that the owner offthe machine, when closing a da s business, may insert a finger and engage e detent 14 to release the same from the-star wheel and permit all the coins to pass tothe coin box; v t The present device is exceedingly simple u and conapact and may be readily applied to an ven ngmachine atavery low expense. aving thus described the invention, I claim:

A device of the character described com- I prising a casing adapted tobe secured against a wall of a cabinet and provided with a shallow chamber havin .an open side closed b the cabinetwall an a coin inlet throat lea ingfrom the top of the chamber and a lower 5 outlet opening, a star wheel housed in said chamber and pivoted to said plate with its ivot located to one side of the axis of the inlet throat and its arms moving across the inlet and outlet as the wheel rotatesi and a Q detent pivoted to said plate and shie ded by the plate, said detent being located above the star wheel at one side of the inlet throat and having arms extending downwardly inf diverging relation to each other, one arm being a longer than the other and having its lower end bent inwardly to engage along a top edge of an arm of the star wheel and'prevent ro-' tation thereof, an opening being formed in the casing whereby access may be had to the long arm of the detent to move the same out of engagement with the star wheel and permit free rotation of the star wheel, the other arm being short and normally extending into the lower end of the throat for engagement by. 4| a coin dropped into the throat whereby the weight of t 0 coin may move the detent and swing its 10 arm out of engagement with the star whee to permit the wheel to rotate.- In testimon whereof I ailix my signature. I v BE JAMIN L. FRY. [L. 8.] 

